Pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for brake-staffs



(N Md 1. I 6 0.11. EMERSON & G; A. EMBRYQ PAWL AND RATOHET MECHANISM ronBRAKE STAFPS. No. 456,026. Patented July 14, 1891.

WITNESSES- v )NVENTOR;

BY ATTORNEU as co. wow-mum, wuumcmn. n. c.

, UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. EMERSON AN .D' GEORGE ALLEN EMERY, OF MASON CITY, IOWA.

PAWL-AND-RATCHET MECHANISM FOR BRAKE-STAFFS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,026, dated July 14,1891.

Application filed February 6, 1891. Serial No. 380,428. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. EMERSON and GEORGE ALLEN EMERY, citizensof the United States, residing at- Mason City, in the county of CerroGordo and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pawl-and-Ratchet Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in pawl-and-ratchet mechanismespeciall yadapted for operating railroad-car brakes; and it has for itsobject to simplify, improve, and cheapen the cost of construction ofthis class of devices over the existing prior state of the art.

To this end the invention consists in the novel construction andarrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter moreparticularly pointed out in the claim.

We have fully and clearly illustrated our invention in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the device appliedto the platform of a railroadcar. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the lug (l and adjacent parts.

Similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates an angular bracket or casting,secured upon the inner or angular end of which is a projecting lug a,which is flush with the upper face of said bracket or casting. This lughas a perforation through it centrally, for a purpose which will bepresently explained.

B indicates a pawl,which is mounted upon.

and loosely secured to the face of the bracket or casting'by means of abolt C, which passes through a perforation in a central lug (Z, formedupon or integral with the plate A, upon which the pawl is pivoted. Astop 0 is secured rigidly to one corner of the bracket for the purposeof limiting the movement of the pawl.

D indicates a vertical brake-staff, which is passed rotatably throughthe perforation in the lug a, secured to or formed integral with thebracket or casting and projecting laterally therefrom. Mounted upon thislug and rigidly secured to the brake-staff D near its lower end by meansof keys or otherwise is a ratchet-wheel E, having a rim 6 cast thereonof larger diameter than the wheel, and

which projects over the teeth of the ratchetwheel, by which the pawl isprevented from slipping out from engagement with the teeth upon theupper surface or rim of the ratchet-wheel. A hub e is cast centrallyupon the outer face of the rim of the ratchetwheel E, through which thebrake-staff is passed and rigidly keyed thereon, and a washer F isinterposed between a pin passed transversely through a perforation inthe lower end of the brake-staff and the projectinglug of the castingorbracket. The brakepawl B has a coil-spring coiled around a reducedportion of the lug d, which is so arranged as to hold the pawl upagainst and in engagement with the ratchet-wheel E'all the time andprevents displacement of said pawl, so that it does not have to be held'up against the wheel with the foot, as is done With wheels of theordinary construction. This brake-pawl cannot come out from under therim 6 over the ratchet-Wheel E, as is heretofore mentioned. The littlestop 0, cast upon the casting or bracket, will let: the brake-pawl onlygo to a certain limit.

By our construction of device it will be readily seen that when a brakeis set up it will stay set and cannot be displaced by the derailment orjolting of the car.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the operation of the device will be obvious.

Our device is simple in its construction, easily and convenientlyoperated, durable, and cheap to manufacture.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, witha bracket formed with a stop 0, a lug a, and a lugd, of a brakestaff, a ratchet-wheel arranged thereon and provided withthe flange e, a pawl B, a spiral spring interposed between the pawl andlug d, and a bolt for securing the pawl, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we hereunto set our hands in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES H. EMERSON. G. ALLEN EMERY. lVitnesses:

H. I. SMITH, O. H. MONIDER.

